The Aktobe gang

Ah, but I promised to introduce the other volunteers. In the vicinity there are 7 other Americans and one Australian. Here we are, minus Emiko and Kathy, in Kromtau celebrating Christmas. That’s Katy (WA), Sasha (Kristen’s host bro), Melanie (MIN), Melissa (NY), Erin (SC), Kristin (GA), Perry (MICH) and me. All really cool individuals.



I’m in the city with Perry and Melanie, and Kathy the Aussie, who works in orphanages with an organization called Operation Mercy. Perry came to the PC after graduating from U of Michigan, and he works at an NGO for disabled people. My buddy “Corporate Mel” was a super businesswoman in the Twin Cities, and now she’s here at an NGO called the Aktobe Women’s Center. What awesome colleagues she has. They invited me to their office New Year party, where they dressed me like a mouse (for 2008) and danced with me all night.

I’m attaching two slideshows, the first of which is to show the last bit of time that I spent in Almaty. I really miss my host family there and I’m pretty sure our paths will cross again and again. The second one is a snapshot of life in Aktobe so far…the university, the volunteers, the city, etc. Most of the photos were taken on holidays, so it looks like all I do here is feast.

I look at these pictures and all of the people and places have become so familiar to me that I can’t really imagine what your first reaction to them will be…I can’t really remember what mine was. But you’ll probably get the idea that food has become a pretty central part of my life- cooking has become really therapeutic for me, and I’m always in my kitchen experimenting with the “Peace Corps Kazakhstan Cookbook” -pure gold as far as I’m concerned- it has recipes written by volunteers giving advice on how to cook with the products that are available here. When I’m not cooking, I’m usually surrounded by various people at a big long table covered with different dishes. Little did I know when I was young and helping my mom with catering jobs that I was actually acquiring what has proven to be my most impressive skill here: The ability to esthetically arrange food in cool ways. It’s a really interesting part of the culture here- it’s such a strong culture of hosting and “guesting,” and expressing hospitality through food. So many traditions and customs are centered on the act of giving or receiving food. For me it’s been one of the most telling lenses to view the local culture through.

Phew. I think that’s it for now. I’ll leave you with a piece of a poem by Pedro Salinas:

¡Que alegría es vivir
sintiéndose vivido!

I believe he was referring to blogging.